Match package



Nov. l, 1932. J, W, HOOLEY 1,885,723

MATCH PACKAGE' Filed Aug. 24, 1951 Iwvov John Zd. Hooley Patented Nov.1, 1932 'ras .Toi-IN w. HooLEY, or LARCHMONT, NEW YORK .MATCH PACKAGEv IApplicationmea August 24, 1931. serial No. 559,013.

This invention relates to the packaging of matches, and has particularreference to thoseA packages consisting of inner tray-shaped receptaclesenclosed in slidablemembers, the

5 latter having coatings of material over which the heads of the matchesare drawn to ignite them. Sio-called safety matches are almostuniversally sopackaged. j

When vsuch a package as just referred to is l0 mounted on the match-boxblock of wall bracket such as employed `in the smoking rooms of Pullmancars, or on the match-block of a table ash tray, it is customary to somount Vthe package that Athe outer member is slid down onto the block sothat the inner member or tray and the matches therein project above theopen-ended slide, and the matches are then partially exposed foraccessibility.

Vhen a match Vis removed and ignited by 39 drawing it up or down alongone of the igniting surfaces of the slide which is vertical, it

frequently happens that the entire package is displaced from the blockor yequivalent of the holder, and the matchesV arethen scattered 25about. This mostfrequently occurs when a match is struck bydrawing'itupwardly along the vertical igniting surface, it being naturalto increase the pressure of the match against said surface as the matchis so moved'. 39 And even if the pressure is not so increased, there isnothing to act against the upper end of the package to resist lateralmovement thereof. And if the striking movement is in a downwarddirection, the first pressure against the upper end of the side of thepackage is liable to displace it. In either case, the match-strikingoperation is liable to displace the entire package, and cause ascattering of the matches.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide packages of matches ofthe type referred to but which present igniting surfaces that are soinclined as to materially reduce liability of the package beingdisplaced from its support when a match is being ignited by drawing italong the side surface of the package.

Another object is to provide packages of mat-ches which are not likelyto be taken away from their supports by kleptomaniacs.

'be so inclined, and `as illustrated-in Fi a With said objects in view,and others hereinafter'explained, the invention consists in theconstruction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and claimed. A A

Of the accompanying drawing,

Figuresl and 2 are perspective views of my improved packages mounted onthe blocks of a commontype of ash tray.

Figure 3 is a front elevationv of one of my improved match packages, aportion of the front-wall of the slide member being broken out. 'Iv ylFigure 4t is a side elevation of thesam'e.

Figures 5 and 6 are'elevations illustrating Vother forms of thematch'packages. l 'l Similar reference characters indicate simiflarparts or features in all of the views.

Referring first to Figures l, 3 and 4, the tray member' l0, for holding'the matches 11, andthe slide member l2V which 'enoloses the tray andmatches, are both of tapering form from end tov end, the matches beingclosely packed in the tray with their larger ends or heads inthewiderv,endthereof The outerl 't Vsurfaces of the side walls ofthe slide arecoated with material to coact with the heads of the matches to ignitethe latter when the heads thereof are drawn along one of said coatedsurfaces as is usual with so-called inclined upwardly and inwardly, butIdo not i limit myselfthereto. f For instance, as illustrated in Figure Bonly one side wall may j gu're 6 the side walls may be parallel for partof their lengths and tapered inwardly the rest'of their 'im lengths. 'jv Figures l and 2 illustrate a common form ofash trayv having ablock-shaped portion le over Vwhich it is customary to fit the lower endof the slide of a safety-matchbox, with the lower end ofthe inner memberor tray bearing on the top of such block. This is onev of theordinaryways of mounting a boX of safety matches. V But when one of my:im-

proved packages is mounted in the same way,

direction there is, of course, no tendency tov separate the box from itssupport when the closing pressure reaches the lower end of the box.

I have referred to the support for the packi agefas an ash tray having ablock member, but

the term block is intended to be a generic one applicable to any part ofa support' capable of having the slide y12 fitted thereon.

Owing to the fact that the tapered shapes of the tray and slide limitthe degree to which the smaller end of the tray can be caused to projectfrom the slide, they matches are not easily accessible if the package isleft in the condition illustrated in Figure l, and therelfore theporter, or club attendant, or some one else, is induced to break awaythe upper end wall of the tray, or an upper portion ofthe front wall ofthe slide, or both as illustrated in Figure 2, in order to render thematches easily removable singly. This results in so mutilating the boxas to render it incapable of retaining the matches if the whole isremoved from the stand or holder, and therefore there is little or noinducement Vfor anyone to effect such removal with Vthe object ofsecuring a free box of matches. n

Another advantage obtained by my improved packages, is the reduction ofspace re- 4quired for the storage or transportation of a quantity ofthem.l This is because they can be packed with their larger endsalternating with their smaller ends side by side. The

packages now in common use are of uniform y vsize from end to end andtherefore, since the larger ends of the matches, the heads thereof, arealways at one end of the tray, the oprposite ends of the matches areunnecessarily loose.

Another advantage of myk improved box orpackage is that only the largerend of the box can beV slipped onto the standard block 'of 'the usualash tray, and the, heads of the matches are always in said larger end.Consequently, a box of the matches can not be carelessly so mounted onthe block that the heads of the matches will be exposed liable to beaccidentally ignited Vas sometimes happens with the safety matches in a.box of the fil 4common type.

y A somewhat minor advantage due to the A'form o'fmyimp'roved packages,although of lof safety-match boxes are annually made and used, is thatpackages such as illustrated and vmatches may be of other kinds whichmerely require that the outer surfaces of the boxes are coated with sandor other suitable material against which the heads of the matches are to'be'drawn.

Having now described my invention, I claim 1. A box comprising a trayand a tapered shell enclosing the tray, one end of the traysubstantially fitting the larger end of lthe shell, the taper of theshell being such'as to prevent drawing the tray entirely through thesmaller end of the shell. v

2. A box comprising .a tapered tray and a tapered shell enclosing thetray, the said tray and shell substantially fitting each other, the

degree of taper being such as to prevent drawing the tray entirelythrough the smaller end of the shell.

3. A box comprising a tapered tray and a tapered shell enclosing thetray, the said tray and shell substantially fitting each other, thedegree of taper being such as to prevent drawing the tray entirelythrough the smaller end of the shell, the shell having a side coating ofmatch-igniting material.

4. The combination with a holder having a block member, of a boxcomprising a tray and a tapered shell enclosing the tray, One end of thetray substantially fitting the larger end of the shell, the taper of theshell being such as to prevent drawing the tray entirely through thesmaller end of the shell, vthe larger end of the shellbeing mounted onsaid block member.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my

